1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a head-mounted display device.
2. Related Art
Head-mounted display devices (head-mounted displays, HMDs) as display devices worn on heads have been known. For example, the head-mounted display device generates image light representing an image using a liquid crystal display and a light source, guides the generated image light to an eye of a user using a projection system and a light guide plate, and thereby, allows the user to visually recognize a virtual image. There are two types of head-mounted display devices of a transmissive type that enables the user to visually recognize outside scenery in addition to the virtual image and a non-transmissive type that disables the user to visually recognize the outside scenery. The transmissive head-mounted display devices include an optical transmissive type and a video transmissive type. As input devices for operation of the head-mounted display device, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a track pad, etc. have been known. On the other hand, a camera that detects a status of the eye of the user and images outside scenery by imaging based on the detected status of the eye has been known.
Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2010-152443) has disclosed a technology, in a head-mounted display device that allows one eye of a user to visually recognize an image of contents or the like, of imaging an eye movement of one eye and imaging an eyelid movement of the other eye, and controlling an image to be visually recognized by the user based on the imaged eye movement and eyelid movement. Further, Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2002-318652) has disclosed a technology, in a head-mounted display device, of allowing a user to visually recognize an image of a user interface such as a keyboard on a flat surface within the predetermined distance from the user and detecting input operation of the user for the user interface, and thereby, operating the head-mounted display device. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 (JP-A-2003-91353) has disclosed a technology of allowing a user to visually recognize a keyboard as an input device for a head-mounted display device and keys of the keyboard touched by the user as images.
Patent Document 4 (JP-A-2010-41643) has disclosed a technology, in a camera that detects a wink of an eye of a user and images outside scenery based on the detected wink, of selecting an imaging mode between a delay mode of imaging after a delay of a predetermined period from the detection of the wink and a non-delay mode of imaging with no delay. Further, Patent Document 5 (JP-A-6-208158) has disclosed a camera that suppresses camera shake at imaging by imaging outside scenery based on a detected wink of an eye of a user. Furthermore, Patent Document 6 (JP-A-2010-152443) has disclosed a technology, in a head-mounted display device that allows one eye of a user to visually recognize an image of contents or the like, of imaging an eye movement of one eye and imaging an eyelid movement of the other eye, and setting an image to be visually recognized by the user based on the imaged eye movement and eyelid movement.
Patent Document 7 (JP-A-9-128138) has disclosed a technology, in a head-mounted display device that allows a user to visually recognize an image of a pointer as an user interface, of detecting a position fixated by the user in a predetermined period or more, displaying a pointer in the detected position, and then, when the position fixated by the user changes and a track ball receiving operation of the user is clicked with the pointer displayed, moving and displaying the pointer to the changed position fixated by the user. Patent Document 8 (JP-A-9-204287) has disclosed a technology, on a display that displays a plurality of virtual windows, when a user fixates a part of a specific window, of displaying a message as to whether or not to activate the fixated window.
Hisashi Yoshida, Takashi Kohama, Menougokikara Kokoronohenka=Nounokatsudou wo Toraeru, [online], [searched on Oct. 17, 2013], Internet <http://www.waka.kindai.ac.jp/topics/20110609_3.html> is an example of related art.
Junji Watanabe, Shikakujouhouteijinotameno Jikuukantougouchikakutokusei no Kenkyu, Doctor Thesis, Graduate School of Information Science of Technology, The University of Tokyo, Information Physics and Computing, [online], [searched on Oct. 17, 2013], Internet <http://www.junji.org/papers/DoctorThesis.pdf> is an example of related art.
In the head-mounted display device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the image to be visually recognized by the user is controlled based on the eye movement of the user, however, an operation based on the eye movement of the user other than the control of the image in the head-mounted display device has been desired. In addition, an operation of the head-mounted display device not only based on the eye movement of one eye but also various movements including the eye movements of both eyes has been desired. Further, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, when there is no flat surface within the predetermined distance from the user, it may be impossible for the user to visually recognize the image of the user interface, and there has been room for improvement in convenience. Furthermore, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3, the user can visually recognize the touched key on the keyboard as the input device, however, an operation of the head-mounted display device without the need of the input device such as the keyboard or the use of the user's hand has been desired. Note that the above described tasks are not only for the head-mounted display device, but common to display devices that enable the user to visually recognize the input devices.
Further, in the technologies disclosed in Patent Document 4 and Patent Document 5, the user should confirm the image to be imaged by seeing through a viewfinder when imaging the outside scenery, and there has been room for improvement in operability at imaging. In addition, the imaging function of the camera is controlled based on the eyelid status of the user's eye, however, control of the other functions than the imaging function based on the eyelid status has been desired. Furthermore, in the head-mounted display device disclosed in Patent Document 6, the image to be visually recognized is set based on the eye movement of the user's eye, however, the operation by the eye movement may be difficult and the simpler operation method has been desired.
Further, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 7, the operation of moving the pointer by the user is performed by the position of the line of sight of the user, however, the operation of input etc. after moving the pointer is performed by other operations than the position of the line of sight, and the operation of input etc. by the position of the line of sight or the like has been desired. Furthermore, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 8, the specific window is selected among the plurality of windows by fixation of the user, however, operations other than the selection of the window by the line of sight of the user have been desired.